Last week Apple released iOS4, the latest version of the operating system for its widely popular iPod and iPhone portable devices.
As with all Apple products in recent years, there is a lot of hype surrounding these products. While some people queue up for hours to be among the first to buy a new product in these ranges, or rush to download and install the latest software updates, other users are wiser in waiting a little bit to see how things develop.
As things stand, i-Tech recommends its readers to be cautious about iOS4, since this version does not function to its full potential on older models of the iPod and iPhone and there are some teething problems with iPhone 4 which sports iOS4.
So, what's all this fuss about? iOS4 is, without doubt, an important update in the operating system of the iPod and iPhone. It is available for the iPod Touch and the iPhone 3G and 3GS. It comes in-built into the new iPhone 4 which is still being rolled out across the world and should officially reach Malta by next September.
Apple lists these major improvements in iOS4:
Multitasking: Users can switch between apps without slowing down the performance of the foreground app or draining the battery unnecessarily.
Folders: Organise apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity.
Mail: See messages from all your accounts in a unified inbox, organise messages by threads, open attachments in apps.
iBooks: An e-book reader and a good place to browse and shop for books.
Playlists: Create custom playlists.
Digital zoom: Get closer to your subjects by zooming in up to 5x.
Video focus: While shooting video, tap the display to choose where to focus.
Faces and Places in Photos: View photos based on who's in them and where they were taken.
Home screen: Change the background wallpaper on the home screen.
Gift apps: Send apps as gifts to your friends or family.
Spell checking: A built-in dictionary automatically suggests words and corrects spelling. It works in Mail, Notes, and other apps.
Keyboard: Pair a keyboard based on Bluetooth wireless technology with your iPhone.
iOS 4 works with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3G. Not all features are compatible with all devices. For example, multitasking is available only with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. Multitasking, home screen wallpapers and Bluetooth keyboard are not available for the iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2nd generation. The issue here may be of insufficient memory to successfully perform these tasks.
News websites report that while most of the iPhone users who upgraded to iOS4 went through a smooth transition, other reported problems, ranging from the freezing of the handset to the loss of data. There were several reports of problems with antenna on the new iPhone 4, and Apple has simply suggested users to hold the smartphone in a different way so as not to obstruct the antenna which is positioned differently compared to older iPhone models.
Apart from these teething problems, the news websites were more focused on an important development in iOS4 that concerns privacy. In this new operating system Apple is collecting and sharing location information from users, though the company insists that this is anonymous. Applications still need your explicit consent to use location data and once it is given a small arrow appears on the top right of your iPhone screen when such data is being used.
iOS4 can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple website: www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/